Safety speed-limiting means.



Nu. 675,351. Patentd May 28, |901.'-y G. W. HENRICKS.

SAFETY SPEED LIMITING MEANS.

(Application filed Mar, 14, 1901., (Ng Modal.) 2 She ets-S heet WITNESSES:

un. 675,35l. f `Fammi may 2a, 190|. G. w. HENmcKs.

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H WJTNESSES:

.A TT ORNE Y.

UNITED STATES4 PATENT OFFICE.

GARRETT W. IIENRICKS, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR- TO I-IENRICKS NOVELTY COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

SAFETY SPEED/-LIMITING MEANS.

SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent No. 675,351, dated May 28, 1901. Application led `March I4', l`901. Serial No. 51,045. (No model.)

be afull, clear,'and exact description of the ini vention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon7 which form a partA of this specification.

This invention relates to the transmission of power from large to small machines generally, and particularly to the class of relatively small electricity-generating machines which are designed specially for operation in connection with and to be driven by gas-engines for producing low-voltage electric currents whereby to explode the gas charges in the engines.

The object of the invention, broadly, is to provide means whereby such electricity-generating machines may be, made available cheaply and practically under the varying conditions found in the operation of gas-engines without employing belts or gear-wheels.

The object, specifically, is to provide means whereby the shaft of the generator or its dri ving-pulley may be safely held in fixed posi-y tions yet elastically with relation to the periphery of a rotative wheel of a gas-engine,

so as to be impelled bythe gas-engine with-` out forcible contact therewith at a greatly-reduced rate ofspeed of the periphery of the generator pulley relative to the peripheral speed of the engine-wheel. The fixed positions referred to are those at which the generator-pulley may partake in a small degree of the movement of the engine wheel or pulley which drives the generator and avoiding such hard Contact between the two pulleys or wheels as might rack the smaller machine or cause grinding of the faces of the pulleys, and thereby causing facets to appear on the smaller pulley. In order to avoid such deterioration of the generator-wheel and delicate parts ofthe smaller machine and at the same time effect the desiredreduction of speed, I

provide that after the engine and the generator may have been put in` motion the generator-pulley may be drawn oif and held in a fixed position where it shall have but light contact and may be iniluenced only by the most iniinitely slight contact with the engine-wheel and in some cases without having constant actual mechanical contact, the high-velocity air-current present about all fast-revolving wheels and in the present case generated by 'the engine-wheel having sufficient power usually to drive the small generator at sufficient velocity for efciency.` In case, howf ever, there be slight variations from a true circle of the periphery of the engine-wheel or if its rim has a slightly eccentrical path, due to the thrust of the piston or lost motion in the shaft-bearings, a slight contact may take place at the protruding parts as they pass the generator-pulley, and this minute contact, if occurring, which may be regulated as to intensity, has been found to be sufficient in practice, as such 'generators require exceedingly small force for driving them, which is particularly true of my magneto-electric generator (shown herein in illustrating my improvements) and which is effective at a comparatively slow rate of speed, while not requiring to be run at a uniformY speed. In

vorder to take advantage of the film-like aircurrent surrounding the fast-moving enginewheel, I find it preferable to apply my position-retaining meansdirectly to the pulleyshaft of the generator in order to eliminate all lost motion, although where provision is made for adjusting the shaft-bearings I may connect with the bearings or with other parts of the generator in order to maintain the de sired xed position.

Having given the general characteristics of my invention, reference may now be had to the drawings, which show how the same may be practically carried ont in a simple and inexpensive manner, equivalent elements for some of those illustrated, however, being entirely feasible and equally desirable.

In the drawings, in which similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts, Figure 1 is a perspective view of amachine having my invention applied thereto; Fig. 2, a fragmentary end elevation with parts broken IOO away and showin g particularly the means employed for holding the generator-pulley from the engine-pulley; gFig. 3, a top plan view in which is shown means whereby the generatorpulley may also be automatically withdrawn from a tooclose contact for economical reasons; Fig. 4, a fragmentary vertical central sectional view taken longitudinallyy of the machine; Fig. 5, a horizontal sectional view in the plano of the'armature-shaft; Fig. 6, a top plan view of the main base and the generator-base, in which parts are broken away andexposing the means for controlling the positions of the generator-pulley and also a resistance-spring, whereby the generator-pulley maybe pushed toward the engine-pulley and at the same time compensate for inaceura'cyof the surface of the engine-pulley to avoid damage to the generator; Fig. 7, a perspective viewof a part which has contact with the generator-shaft or other part of the generator for holding the generator-pulley,

and Fig. 8 is a side elevation diagrammatic' ally4 showing a gas-engine and the operative relation of my invention thereto.

Constructed as shown, A designates a main Vbase or foundation, which may be suitably anchored to a iioor or upon a bracket. It is designed to' be xed when in practical use and supports the whole mechanism of the generator. Usually it is surmounted by a cap-.plate A. A generator-base Bis suitably pivoted to the main base A, as by means of a pivot-bolt L at ends of the members. At the opposite ends means are provided whereby the base B may be caused to swing about its pivot upon the main base A, as will be further explained. 2

C indicates magnetic poles that are the extremities of pole-pieces C', secured to the base 'IB and supporting-heads D D", which are provided with journal-housings, in which an armature-shaft E is rotatively mounted,a

s'.uital`)le armature-core F being carried by the shaft E, as is also a commutator F. To the pole-pieces C are attached U-shaped magnets G. The usual armature-windings are omitted in the detail drawings, being unnecessa-ry to an understanding of my invention. A small pulley I-I is secured to one end of the shaft E and obviously may be shifted with the base B and shaft E relatively to the main base A laterally thereto. The pulley H may in s'ome cases have suitable wings or blades of well-known construction., whereby it may be more strongly influenced byv an air-current. It should be understood that in practically carrying out my invention the heads D D'l or similar shaft-supports may be attached to the generator-base or the supplemental base B and have vno direct attachment with the pole-pieces C', and the generatorbase B may be of any suitable form and may bepivoted to the base A in various ways for attaining the desired results, as will be obvious.

A suitable pulley I is also attached to thev shaft E and is adapted to -be engaged by a movable post'J, that is suitably operated and controlled, whereby the lateral Inove-v ment of the shaft is caused and whereby the fixed positions of the pulley H referred to are maintained. The post has a base fr and post- Vholder and also has a foot u, in which is a threaded hole o. A spindle O is mounted in the base A and has a threaded yend working in the hole fu,the base r sliding upon the top of the main base A or upon the plate A', while the foot extends through a suitable aperture therein. The spindle O extends through a plate i and preferably has a collar Z, between which and the plate vl is a spring P. To the outer end of the spindle O is attached a thumb-wheel Q, having a long bifurcated stem straddling the end o f the spindle and connected theretol by a pivot-pin ,7, so that when once the spindle O' is adjusted with relation to the post .I the spindle Amay be moved longitudinally inwardly without disturbing the adjustment by simply turning the bearing end 7c of the stem of the wheel Q away from'the plate ,vas shown in Fig. '5. The thumb-wheel Q, having the long stem, as will be seen, is designed to operate eccentrcally as a cam and-.illustrates a simple form of construction; but in some cases I may attain the same results by practically equivalent means, and the same may be pre'- vented from accidentally shifting by other means than the spring P; also, the spindle O maybe fixed to the foot 'a and be made adjustable with the thumb-wheel Q or similar device. p

The armature-core F maybe secured to its shaft E by any suitable means-such as a screw e or akey, or the shaft may be made in two parts and sunk into the ends of the core. An insulating-plate a is attached to each pole-piece C', where it projects from the magnet, a hole a bein-g provided, into which the brush-holder b is inserted and secured.

In order to normallyv pressV the pulley I into close contact with the post J, .yet permit vof breaking contact, I provide a resistancespring, which in the present case is a coiled spring N, mounted on a rod h, which extends through the base A and bears against opposing plates 1) t', attached to the opposite sides of v the main base. The spring is seated against that one of such plates against which the spring PV bears and presses against a lug gage Athe housing of the shaft E or the shaft itsel'for any other suitable part 0f the pivoted portion of the machine; but the most delicate and desirable adjustment of the pulley II may be had with the use of the pulley IOO IIO

I, the post J having an antifrictional contactface.

The construction above described is suitable more particularly where the generator is to be used solely in connection with a stationary engine; but when I design the generator so as to be equally'adapted for use with the gas-engine of an automobile or the like locomotive vehicle where manual adjustment ot' the post J may be inconvenient, owing to the wide range of speeds of the vehicle-engine and also as between it and a stationary engine, I provide means whereby results are attained which, in effect, are identical with that of moving the post J from and toward the shaft E. To accomplish this, I

provide that the shaft E be of greater length than usual and that it 'may move endwise in its bearings, either by securing a splinef to the shaft E and iitting the shaft slidingly in the core F and providing a splineway in the core or by securing the shaft E to the core F and making the core of such length as to be suitably shorter than the distance between the heads D and D', against which it is stopped in its endwise movement. The latter has an advantage in that increased Wearingsurface by the brushes on the commutator may thus be had. A conical pulley R is attached to the shaft E in lieu of the pulley I, and at the opposite end of the shaft I secure thereto a speed-controlled adjuster comprising a head V, which is adjustable on the shaft, preferably as a screw-nut, to be fixed by a jam-nut V. To the head V, I attach a pair of plate-springs W, which normallyextend parallel with the shaft E toward the opposite end thereof, the opposite ends of the springs being secured to a sleeve U, having an exterior groove n in which is inserted a stop-yoke T, secured to a projection S of the head D, the shaft workingthroughthe sleeve. Weights X X are secured to the springsW W, so as to be at opposite sides of the shaft E. Obviously I may employ an electrically-controlled adj usterin lieu of the speed-controlled devices.

lVhen in operative position, the generator is situate in proximity to the balance-wheel K of a gas-engine, as the most advantageous position, or it may be located close to another suitable wheel or pulley of the engine, the pulley H being set so that it may be in contact therewith and withdrawn from contact when desired.

Y indicates the engine-cylinder, and Z an explosion-chamber, suitably-disposed binding-posts w y being provided, to which are connected conducting-wires d d', having their opposite ends connected to the brush-holders b l). A spark-coil should be connected with one of the wires, as usual.

In practical use let it be assumed that the generator is designed for use with a stationary engine and has been setV inrplace. The wheel K may then be rotated, the pulley H being in contact therewith, when a current will beat once generated of sufficient strength (especially by my improved machine) to produce a spark at the igniters. Then as the speed of the Wheel K increases and when the generator-shaft may yhave attained an economical rate of speed consistent with proper lubrication of its journals the thumb-wheel Q may be manipulated so as to draw the pulley H off from a hard contact with the wheel K, the post J holding the pulley Hat the eX- act required position, as above described, to maintain the desired velocity of the generatorshaft. No further adjustment will usually be required, as the ordinary variations of speed of the engine will not affect the utility of the generator. If now the engine be stopped, it may be found that when slowly rot-ating the wheel K it may have no contact with the wheel H, so that it may be necessary when again starting to turn the wheel Q, (eccentrically,) as in Fig. 5, and release the post J from contact, so that the spring N may push the pulley again into contact with the wheel K to so remain until the desired speed may again be attained by the generator-shaft, when the wheel Q may be again set in its normal position, as in Fig. 3. Should there be excessive eccentricity of the periphery of the driving-wheel K, all danger to the delicatelyconstructed generator will be avoided by reason of the action of both the resistance-sprin g N and the post J, as will be obvious.

If it be assumed that the generator is designed for motor-vehicles or to provide against the generator being carelessly run at damaging speeds, the adjuster is employed, which causes the pulley H to be held sufficiently remote from a hard contact with the drivingwheel K to prevent damage in case the post J may not have been itself closely adjusted. In the use of this construction, as described, the post may be rst set as above described, and then after making tests the head V may be adjusted and set so that before a dangerously-excessive speed may have been reached the weights XX may by their weight and centrifugal force furnish power and spread the springs W lV and cause the shaft E to move endwise and push the conical pulley R against the post J and diminish the intensity of the contact of the pulley H with its driving-wheel, thus preventing further acceleration of speed of the generator-shaft. This action is eX- tremely sensitive and does not partake of the harsh jerking, fastand-slow,or slip-and-catch action incidental to intermittently throwing the pulley H into and out of Contact entirely with the driving-wheel; but the pulley H is maintained substantially in a xed position with respect to the drivin g-wheels peripheral path at which it may have been adjusted to run, causinga steady rate of speed and smooth motion proportionate to the intensity of the contact. When applied to a motor-vehicle,

the engine-wheel may be run at great eX- tremes of high and low velocity, and the balance-wheel being comparatively small re- IOO IIO

merest contact withv a true wheel or by peripheral prot-uberances of the driving pulley or wheel or by the air-current caused thereby, I do not conne my invention to such specificmeans, as I may employ other suitable equivalent mechanism for automatically adjusting the post I or its equivalent in lieu' of thelongitudinally-moving shaft and the other elements described specifically. The pulley H may be made of considerably greater width of face than herein indicated, so that greater vacuum-likeor suction elect, which is highly 5a driving-wheel, adri'ven wheel operated by f meansof the driving-wheel, a spring operat- L -ing to elastically push the driven Wheel into Econtact with the driving-wheel, and means restricting the action of the spring and limiting the Contact of the driven; wheel t light :constant degree or the' protuberances of the Thea'pimportant, may be obtained. It may be ob'- served'that my generator, towhich my invention; is more particularly applicable',r is usually extremelysmall, the main base in some' casesbeing buteightinchesin length by ii've or' less inches in Width and other parts in pro'- prt'i'onyso that' it may be operated by an almost'ininites'imaldeg'ree of power. plication of the post J and its' connections are also desirable inorder to be able to posi- .tively compensate for expansion and contraction'as well'as distortions of the driving Wheel or pulley of .the engine, so that all thrusts upon the generator-pulley may be avoided; In the operation of such small generators the advantages will be appreciated in employing the post J' or positive stop, whereby advan, tage may be'taken of the air-current acting as a'subtle cushion between the two pulleys.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is`-. t

l. Amech'anism includingadriving-wheel, a driven wheel operated 'by means of the driving-wheel; and a stop member holding the driven-wheel'axis oifV from and ina fixed position relativeto the periphery of the drivingwheel, whereby the driven wheel may be rotated by the air-current generated' by the driving-wheel.

2. Amechanism including a driving-wheel, adriven wheel operated by means of the driving-wheel, a stop member holding the driven and power-controlled means whereby the fixed axial positions of the driven Wheel may be changed, whereby the driven Wheel may wheel, vand a stop lnember operating against the pressure of the spring and holding the driven-wheel axis'off in a fixed position relative to the periphery of the driving-Wheel,

kwhereby the d'rivenwhe'el may be actuated by the' air-current generated by thev drivingwheel. l I 4. `A mechanism'including a driving-wheel,

ak driven Wheel'operate'd by means of the driving-wheel, a spring operating so as to push' zthe driven wheel into contact with the driving-wheel', a stop member restricting the' ac- 4tion of the spring and' holding the driven' -i' wheel off in a xed axial position so as topre- .vent hardcontact with the driving-wheel, g and power-controlled means whereby the'tixed axial positions of the driven Wheel may be gchanged, whereby the driven Wheel may be maintained in a proper position and' relieved of forcible contact with the driving-Wheel and thereby be preveh ted'from beingdam aged by 'gthrus'ts thereof.

5. A speed-reducing mechanism'including riving-wheel periphery and to' theair-cu'rrent generated by the driving-wheel.

6. An electric generator provided withV a' base pivotally supporting an armature-shaft,

va Wheel attached te the armature-shaft for driving the' same, and an adjustable stop member acting to hold off the armature-shaft in iixed positionsr'elative to a driving-wheel, whereby the Wheel on the shaft may be held in vari'ous fixed axial positions at the periphery of a driving-wheel so as to partake of only afractional part of the speed thereof as transmittedv by contact with the protuber- .ances' thereof and the air-current generated thereby. l

7. An electric generator including a xed base, a base pivoted upon the fixed base, an

armature-shaft mountedon the pivoted base, a driven wheel attached to the armature-shaft, an adjustable fixed stop member adapted to limit the movement of the pivoted base and also that of the driven-wheel axis laterally, and a spring seated and acting to press the armature-shaft toward the stop member, and means whereby the stop member may be changed from andv returned' to its position Without permanently altering its predetermined fixed position.

8. An electric generator comprising a main base,v a supplemental base pivoted upon the main base, an armature-shaft supp'orted upon the supplemental base,a driven wheelsecured to the armature-shaft, a pulley also secured to the armature-shaft, a stop member slidingly supported upon the main base and engaging the pulley, a spindle mounted inthe main base and operatively' connected with IOO' IIO

the stop member whereby the positions thereof may be adjusted and fixed, and aspringoperating to force the pulley elastically against the stop member, whereby the axis of the driven wheel may be yheld off, in fixed positions relative to the periphery of a drivingwheel.

9. An electric generator comprising a main base, a supplemental base pivoted upon the main base, an armature-shaft supportv ed upon the supplemental base and movable endwise, a driven wheel secured to the armature-shaft, a conical pulley secured also to the armatureshaft,a stop member slidinglysupported upon the main base and engagingthe conical pulley, a spindle engaging thev stop member whereby the positionsthereof maybe adjust-v edl and fixed, a spring operatingto force'the conical pulley elastically .against the stopv member, and an adjusting mechanism operpulley forced against the stop member,where l main base, an armature-shaft supported upon.

rby the axial position of the driven pulley may be changedand ixedply held, soA as to prevent inj urious thrusts from an irregular peripheral surface of a driving-wheel'b'eing.transmitted to the `driven wheel. f

10.I An electric generator comprisin ga main base, a supplementalbase pivoted upon the the supplementall base and kmovable rotatively and longitudinally, a driven pulleyat one end of the armature-shaft securedfthereto, a conical pulleysecured-to the armatureshaft in proximity to the driven pulley, a stop member slidingly supported and engaging the conical pulley, a spring forcing the conical pulley against the stop member, means whereby the positions of' the stop member maybe adjusted and fixed, a sleeve loose on the arrmature-shaft, means whereby movement of the sleeve longitudinally of theshaft may be prevented, a pair of plate-springs attached' tothe sleeve, a head attached to the platesprings and also adjustably attached to the armature-shaft, anda weight attached to each one of the plate-springs, whereby when an excessive speed of the armature-shaft may be reached, the armature-shaft may be moved longitudinally andthe conical pulley forced against the stop member, so that the'axial position of the driven pulley may be altered and xed relative to a driving-wheel periphery adjacent to the driven wheel, as and for the purposes set forth.

11. The combination,with agas-engine having a rotative wheel and also having an igniter or sparking electrodes, of an electricitygenerating machine yincluding a generator, a rotative shaft for driving the machine, circuit-wires connecting the generator with the sparking electrodes, astop member and mechanism whereby the rotative shaft may be held off from vapproaching the' rotative wheel, a wheel on the rotative shaft driven by means ofthe rotative wheel of the engine, andmeansthe machine.

ing electrodes, a stop member and 'mechanisms for adjusting Vthe same whereby the rotative shaftv may be held off from approaching the rotative wheel, a-wheel on the rotative shaft driven by means of the rotative wheel of the engine, means whereby the rotative shaft may be elastically pressed toward the stop member and also be permitted to `be automatically forced therefrom, means whereby .the stop member may be held in fixed positions,.and means whereby the stop member may be released from operating againstr the rotative shaft while starting the operation of 13. The combination,with a gas-engine havking a rotative wheel and also having an vige niterf or sparking electrodes, of an electricitygenerating machine including an armature, a rotative shaft. for driving the machine, a commutator, commutator-brushes, circuit- Wires connecting the brushes-with the sparking electrodes, ay stop member whereby the rotative shaft may be held off in fixed axial positions from the rotative'wheeLa wheel on the rotative shaft driven by means of the rotative wheelof the engine, means whereby the position of the stop member maybe gaged, means wherebythe stop member may be re- IOS) leased from operation and again put into op- .eration without permanently altering its pre'- arranged gaged position,'and an independent radjusting means operating automatically in coperation with the stop member whereby the relative axial position of the rotative shaft may be changed toward and from the rotative wheel of the engin e.

14. In an electricity-generating machine, a `ixed` main base, a supplemental base supported movably upon the main base, journalhousings supported by the supplemental base,

a generator-shaft,mounted rotatively in said housings, the spring acting againstthe supplemental base, the pulley or wheel attached to the generator-shaft whereby the 'machine may be driven, a conical pulley attached to the generator-shaft, and a stop member in contact with the conical pulley restricting the forc'e of the spring, whereby the axial position of the pulley or wheel may be fixed against movement in one direction and permitted to move in the opposite direction.

15. In an electricity-generating machine, a fixed main base, a supplemental base, elastic means operating so as to change the relative' positions of the supplemental base when not restrained, j ournal-housings supported-by the supplementalbase, a generator-shaft mount- IVIO ' ed rotatively in said husing's, a stop` member preventing thel movement in one directionof rthe Supplemental base, the pulley or Wheel attached to the generator-shaft whereby to' drive themachine, a conical pulley connected with the generator-shaft and movable across the face ofthe stop member so thatthe lineal circumferential 'bearing contact thereofy with the stop-member may be increased and decreased; and automatically-controlled means l whereby the conicaipulley maybe moved and K. controlled, in combination with a diiVing-f;

Wheel communicating to, the vpulley or wheel f of the generator-shaft a diminished' rate of peripheral speed Without having forcible c'onv e tact therewith. Y, l n 16. In an electricity-generati-ng'machine, a stop member provided'with an aniifriction'al conftact-face, a'conical pulleyA operatin'gyin l contact'witli said stop ,niembe'i as'pldle or shaft connected with the stop member, a main base'slidingly supporting' `t'h e stop member, and an adjusting meanscojnnected With'the eration whereby l1*:0 relieve the action of the stopv member, in combination with fthe sup- ,l ed upon; the supplementalbase and'carrying y, the conical pulley,` and means for elastieally pressing-.the coniealrpulley against the stop member. f In testimony whereof I aiix my signature i in presence of two Witnesses.

` GARRETT W. HENRICKS'.;

Witnesses: 1 A. v HARRY D. PI'ERso,

I plemental' base,` the'lgen'erator-'shaft lsupport-V spindleau'd adapted'to 'be released. from op y 

